JEDDAH: Korean author Kim Jiyun’s “Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat” is a cozy, comforting read, much like wrapping yourself in warm, freshly washed, sweet-smelling laundry.
This work of “healing fiction” was translated to English by Shanna Tan.
Smiley Laundromat, located in a relaxed residential neighborhood in Yeonnam-dong in the Hongdae district of Seoul, is more than just a regular laundromat.
It is a place where people come to be heard, even if it is by strangers, expressing their concerns through writing in a simple green diary.
The slow hum of the washing machine, the soft scent of the detergent and softener, coffee, and treats make the laundromat all the more comfortable and inviting.
As words take shape on paper amid sorrow and tears, people seem to feel the weight lifted from their shoulders, as if putting pen to paper has eased some of their worries.
And when strangers offer safe sage advice or comforting words, the world just seems a little better and happier for them. Listening is the book’s quiet undercurrent amid stories that unfold.
Some of the book’s tales from its lead characters, such as Old Jang, Mira, Yeoreum, Yeonwoo, Hajoon, Daeju, and Jayeol, are deeply relatable.
We know people like them in our own lives, or find that their struggles subtly resonate with ours.
The book made me occasionally smile at how people rushed to the laundromat to do the mundane task of laundry, regardless of the time of day or night, even when it was hardly urgent — all for wanting to hear back from strangers who would anonymously leave messages in response to their words.
The book beautifully conveys the importance of emotional presence, of simply being there and listening when someone needs to be heard.
“Yeonnam-dong’s Smiley Laundromat” is simple on the mind and gentle on the heart.
It is great to pick up after a few heavy reads and when you are looking for something light and comforting.
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